1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to an automatic zoom apparatus and method for playing dynamic images, particularly in which, when a dynamic zoom function is requested, a predetermined area where motion is detected from received image signals is automatically zoomed and displayed, thereby allowing more dynamic images to be provided to a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional digital televisions (DTVs) have a zoom function, but this zoom function is restricted in zoom area. For example, Korean Patent Application No. 1999-0006984 (titled “Apparatus for zooming images of digital television”) discloses that input images are stored in a line memory unit, and, when zoom area information and zoom magnification are received from a user, a zoomed image is formed from an original image stored in the memory unit by means of a zoom controller, and the zoomed image is provided to the user.
Further, Korean Patent Application No. 1995-0004815 (titled “Local zoom apparatus for television receiver and method for controlling the same”) discloses that image signals of predetermined channels are digitally-converted and stored, an image of a particular area is selected by a zoom controller, and the selected image is magnified and displayed as a still or dynamic image on a window.
In this manner, the conventional zoom function is limited to zoom and output a predetermined area from image signals according to a user's selection and it has no diversity. Hence it is difficult to arouse the users' interest in the zoom function.
Further, the conventional zoom function zooms, in a restricted manner, an image in a particular area selected by the user, thus failing to satisfy the user who wishes to enjoy a variety of image effects by means of the digitalized television.
Therefore, there is a demand for an automatic zoom method capable of providing dynamic images by automatically zooming a desired area of the image signals by dynamically changing the image signals.